Читать книгу History, Gazetteer, and Directory of Shropshire [1851] - Samuel Bagshaw - Страница 195

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is a township and chapelry in the parish of Middle, five miles N.N.E. from Shrewsbury. The village is pleasantly situated on the turnpike road from Shrewsbury to Chester, and contains some good farm houses and a commodious and respectable inn. The township contains 814a. 2r. 19p. of land. Viscount Hill is the principal land owner; besides whom Sir Andrew V. Corbet, Mr. Charles Woodward, Mr. Joseph Morris, Mrs. Wildig, and others, are also owners. The population in 1801 was 362; and in 1841 there were 92 houses and 429 souls in the chapelry, and 221 in the township. Rateable value, £1,119. 16s. 8d. Rent charge, £107. 18s.

The Episcopal Chapel is a neat stone edifice, mantled with ivy; it has a square castellated tower, ornamented with a clock, and the chapel is surrounded with a spacious cemetery, the margin of which is fringed with flourishing limes, yews, and fir trees, which give it a pleasing and rural appearance. In the east window are several fragments of stained glass, apparently of the date of the erection—the sixteenth century. The living is a perpetual curacy, in the patronage of the rector of Middle, and enjoyed by the Rev. William Oliver, of Astley Lodge. In the Liber Ecclesiasticus the living is returned at £55. The annual value, however, now is upwards of £70, arising from the sum of £400, royal bounty, and the moiety of the rent of a farm in the township of Criggion, which was purchased with money belonging to the livings of Preston Gubbals, Hanwood, and Hadnal, by the then incumbent, who, in consequence of enjoying several benefices, was denominated “St. John of the Seven Churches.” The chapelry contains the townships of Alderton, Hardwick, Haston, Shotton, and Sneethcott. Rateable value of the chapelry, £5,614. 17s. 9d; acres, 2,418 0r. 20p. The Banasters, a family of considerable note in former times, had an estate and seat at Hadnal as early as the time of William the Conqueror. The hall was a spacious mansion of chequered timber work, and occupied a site near the episcopal chapel. The moat may still be traced, adjoining the turnpike road. Mr. Hulbert is of opinion that Hadnal Hall was the place where the Duke of Buckingham was betrayed by Humphrey Banaster, in 1483, from whence he was taken to Shrewsbury, and, without trial, beheaded, by command of Richard III. Thomas Banaster, of Hadnal, was sheriff of the county in 1403.

Providence Grove is a neat house, the residence and property of Mr. Charles Hulbert, the author and publisher of an elaborate history of the county, and numerous other publications. On the 7th of January, 1839, an awfully destructive fire occurred at Providence Grove, and so rapid was the progress of the devouring element, that all the valuable property, consisting of a library of more than 3,000 volumes, manuscripts, curiosities, paintings, furniture, a large stock of new books and engravings, with the whole of the house, and a great portion of the houses adjoining, were consumed. The loss to the proprietor was irreparable, as only the premises were insured, and those at one half of their value. Mr. Hulbert has now arrived at a good old age, and is publishing an account of his own life, which he entitles “Seventy Years of an eventful Life.”

The Independent Chapel, a neat stone fabric, was built in 1832. The congregation is under the pastoral care of the Rev. David James.

The Free School is endowed with £300, bequeathed by Dame Mary Hill, in 1787, who at the same time made the following bequests, viz., £30 towards building a school-house in Hadnal, £100 to the treasurer of the Salop Infirmary, the interest of £100 to be distributed among poor persons residing in Hadnal, the same amount for the benefit of the poor of Middle, and the residue of her personal estate for such charitable purposes as she by a codicil to her will should direct. The residue of the personal estate amounted to £1,305 2s. 5d., in respect of which £30 per annum is paid to a dissenting minister at Hadnal, £14 towards the support of the school, and £10 to Prees school. These several sums appear to be the interest of £1,200, at 4½ per cent.; it is stated the balance, £105. 2s. 5d. was applied in building the school at Weston. In respect of the £300 bequeathed to Hadnal school, £12 per annum as the interest thereof is paid to the teacher. It does not appear that any new trustees have been appointed for carrying into effect the trusts declared in the will of Dame Mary Hill. The management has therefore continued in that family.

It is stated in the parliamentary returns of 1786, that Mr. Watkins gave £15 for the use of the poor of Hadnal. About thirty years ago Sir Andrew Corbet gave £10, on the marriage of his son, for the same purpose. These two sums are in the hands of Viscount Hill, and he pays 20s. annually as the interest thereof.

Birch William, provision dealer

Brittain Mr. Thomas

Brookes Benjamin, farmer

Cooper the Misses, the Academy

Davies John, farmer

Dodd Samuel, blacksmith

Ellis William, farmer

Heath Thomas, provision dealer and boot and shoe maker

Hulbert Charles, author and publisher, Providence grove

James David, Independent minister

Lee William, farmer

Leech John, farmer

Leech Sarah, schoolmistress

Payne Stephen, farmer

Powell John, wheelwright

Preston John, farmer

Walton Ann, vict., Saracen’s head